Dan J. Ross

Dan Ross

May 27, 1942 – August 31, 2021

Longtime Leadville, Colorado resident, Dan “Danny” Joe Ross peacefully leveled up from this Earthly adventure surrounded by his family on Tuesday August 31, 2021.  He was 79. 

Dan is preceded in death by his father, Robert Ross and mother Lois (Miner) Ross.

He is survived by his brother David Ross of Fort Collins, CO; former spouse Maxine Ross of Rexford, KS; his son Robert Scott (Julie) Ross of Strasburg, CO; daughter Kristin (Larry) Bloom of Parker, CO; daughter Erin (Dan) Betz of Greeley, CO; granddaughter Caitlyn Betz; grandsons Jordan (Hayley) Ross, Tyler Ross, and Jeremy Betz; nephew Chris Ross (Ed Cannon); and his beloved cat, Bode.

Dan was born at Lamb Hospital in Denver, Colorado, May 27, 1942.  He was baptized at Lakewood Community Methodist Church and a long-time member of Good Shephard Lutheran Church in Leadville.

The family lived on a farm in Wheatridge, where Dan and his little brother David were extremely active! Surrounded by a huge apple orchard and corn fields – riding horses and playing outside from sunup to sundown has been described as a cherished time and place to be a kid.  In 1955 the family moved to Lakewood where Dan, David and their mother, Lois, as the proud Den Mother of Pack 243, marched through the ranks of The Denver Area Cub Scouts. About the same time, Dan also began playing baseball with the Jefferson County Jr. Baseball Club, continued as an elite baseball player and highly decorated track athlete throughout his high school career.

Dan developed a deep love for animals that spanned his entire lifetime. He had a dog, Rusty, that he taught to ride a tricycle, a hand-raised pet squirrel, Peatie, that slept in a dedicated dresser drawer, he loved riding 8-Ball, the champion cutting horse and had many a beloved cat, especially Bode.  Bode was not only Dad’s furry buddy, Bode was also his travel companion who would happily climb into his cat-carrier to go for a ride in the pickup.

After graduating from Lakewood High School in 1960, Dan went to Colorado State College (which became University of Northern Colorado) in Greeley, CO. He enlisted and was accepted into the United Stated Marine Corps from 1963 to 1967.  

Dan worked in many areas of business including retail sales (where he might have picked up his snazzy sense of style), to financial services, real estate sales, decades in banking, and lastly following his “retirement” from Salida Building & Loan Ass., he became an appraiser for the Lake County Assessors Office.  

Dan was an active member of every community in which he lived. He was a member of Optimist International for many years before moving to Leadville in 1979.  In Leadville, The Lions Club became a prominent and impactful part of his life, and the foundation of over 40 years of volunteering and community services. Dan was incredibly proud to be a fundamental component in the planning, promoting and carrying out of events including the Leadville Trail 100, Leadville Boom Days and hosting The Special Olympics.  

Dad was meticulously organized, detail oriented, and did everything with purpose and intent. You completely understand if you have ever seen a Christmas tree he decorated!  

He had and artistic flare that was evident in the nifty way he dressed and especially in the beautiful, precise way he delicately and deliberately penned his name. He was a well-compensated introvert who never knew a stranger but was most content when he was one with & surrounded by the abundant beauty that is the great Colorado outdoors. Dad loved to hike in the mountains – rain, shine and once in a lightning storm we somehow survived! He loved to ride his mountain bike and did so regularly on the trails around Lake County, well above the elevation of 10,000 feet, into his late 70’s.  He found solitude & serenity when fishing, unless his line got hooked on a sagebrush or a willow.  He taught his kids how to catch and clean Rainbow Trout which we proudly took home for mom to fry. 

Dan had a friend to chat with wherever he ventured.  As kids we fondly recall any jaunt around town really being a kind of social connect-the-dots, going from one merchant to the next and even to the post office.  Dad was welcomed with a smile, took the time to say “howdy” and rummage through any available, and sometimes purposely hidden, snacks.     

The family will be holding a private Celebration of Life.

Memorials may be made to the family, c/o Robert Ross, P.O. Box 10, Strasburg, CO 80136.

In lieu of flowers we would be grateful for tributary donations in Dan’s name to:

The Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado

To carry on Dan’s lifetime commitment to community service, we invite you to donate to The Leadville Lion’s Club.